simona and Pesto Man--count me in with the martinis too---and none of your fancy designer gins either--give me good old fashion Beefeaters or London Dry or Gordon's! And dammit, a chocolate martini may be a lovely drink but it isn't a martini!! _________________Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

amen to that David!!! It seems that any sweet concoction, served in a Martini glass is now called Martini THis seemes to be aimed @ those who want the "fashionable glassware " but do not appreciate the alchmey that occurs when, Gin (sometimes vodka) vermouth, and olive (or lemon twist, or caper berry) are combined in a cold frosty glass

Agree about the gin as well, (gordons is my day-today tipple) although I do enjoy Plymouth, (sir Winston's Favorite) on a special ocassion or when I'm feeling wealthy!

as we speak 2 glasses are in the freezer, My wife gets in @ quarter to 6 and by 6, ice, gin and vermouth will collide!!!_________________I would like a gin martini, straight up, olives on the side, as dry as my wit, as clean as my conscience.
and... as cold as my heart!!!!

When I was about 14 I was babysitting for a young couple who had had friends over prior to my arrival. Some time after the kids were in bed I went looking in the fridge for a snack. There was a tall pitcher of what looked like ice water to me. I poured myself a glassful. I took a long gulp only to have everything between my gullet and intestines errupt in flames.

That was my first, last and ONLY martini. You guys can split my share. _________________God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor

Gordon Gin only for me. And more than Martinis ( CHocolate MArtini?!!!- Heresy), I love Gin and Tonic. Favourite drink when flying, it makes me forget the ridiculous situation of hunging in the air with no safenet. I am terrified by flights, and each time I border a plane ( quite often) I'm sure it's the last. But I'm not a very optimistic person in general.

one day I was sooooooooo hot I got two oblongy buckets filled them with cold water and ice..a foot in each...and just sat and de-melted.

also I've found cold water on the inside wrist helps...

and thinking of snow _________________"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

My first summer in Melbourne saw me wilting from the unaccustomed heat. My friends knew that every Sunday afternoon I could be found in our apartment in a tub filled with cold water with a gin and tonic, my cigarettes (don't worry I quit 12 years ago) and a book by my side. Now it really doesn't bother me that much, jaded with age I suppose._________________Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Joined: 29 Sep 2004Posts: 1196Location: buried under a pile of books somewhere in Adelaide, South Australia

Posted: Thu Jul 28, 2005 11:33 pm Post subject:

Watching movies set in snow helps, too. Fargo, A Simple Plan, Snow Falling on Cedars all made me feel cold when I watched them.

I remember a summer in Adelaide a few years ago when the temperatures were in the high 30's/low 40's every day. That was HOT, but what was worse was that at nighttime it didn't get below 30. One night when I was going to work it was still 38 at 10PM._________________Doing what you like is freedom
Liking what you do is happiness

'n the outdoor shots of "The Ice Storm"...read a piece from a guy who said he can bear to watch it once a year...he wrote "It's too traumatic and beautiful to watch more than that."

How well I remember how I felt watching it for the first time...gut-wrenching...stupendous acting..._________________"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

I live in Brisbane where a 'heat wave' generally means temperatures in the high 30s and low 40s (C). I grew up in PNG almost on the equator where it was constantly hot and humid - I think you acclimatise. I'm used to warm temperatures but I definitely find the heat waves hard to tolerate.
We have airconditioning in this house, but on hot hot HOT days it only makes things bearable, not cool. We survive by eating icecream, sorbet, frozen fruit (anything cold!) and sprawling out on the floor watching movies. It's important to keep really well hydrated. Washcloths soaked in cool water help you sleep.

At the moment it is our Winter. Good luck surviving the heat - I'm sure I'll be moaning about it in three months' time._________________.*???. all things in moderation .???*.

I am lucky enough to live in the Smokies, so a hike up into the higher elevations always brings relief from the heat. Playing in the cold mountain streams helps as well! At home, I make a huge batch of peach iced tea or when I can find it, Sassafras tea. The old timers used to drink Sassafras root tea to cool the body's temperature. It works very well and tastes wonderful!_________________My mother is French and although I was only lucky enough to spend summers in Paris, my heart is truly in the beautiful country of my ancestors.